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A typical Lunar New Year dish in Malaysia and Singapore, Yu Sheng is a colourful sharing dish where each ingredient has a special meaning.

Chinese New Year is nearly here – and that can only mean lots of amazing food. Did you know that the Lunar New Year is not only celebrated in China, but in other countries across the world, including Malaysia and Singapore? In this video we take a look at Yu Sheng: a Spring Festival salad with a fascinating meaning behind it.

Yu Sheng (鱼生) literally means ‘raw fish’ in Chinese, but it’s also a play on words, sharing a pronunciation with yu sheng (余升) meaning abundance or plenty. Each ingredient in the dish has a special meaning signifying good fortune. Many Malaysians and Singaporeans eat Yu Sheng as a lucky Lunar New Year dish, gathering around the table to throw the ingredients in the air while shouting out wishes and blessings for the new year in a celebration known as lo hei (‘toss high’).

Inspired to have a go yourself? Here’s a Yu Sheng recipe you can try at home.

1) Prepare the noodles: cook the mung bean noodles according to the instructions on the packet. Drain, dress with the toasted sesame oil and put in the fridge to chill.

2) Prepare the salad ingredients: spiral or finely slice the carrots, cucumber, turnip and spring onions. Grate the pickled beetroot. Peel and separate the pomelo or grapefruit into segments. Put them all into the fridge to chill.

3) Assemble the dish: put each salad ingredient onto a large serving plate, without mixing the ingredients together. Layer the salmon slices like flower petals in the middle of the plate.

4) Add seasoning: drizzle the plum sauce over the top of the plate of vegetables and fish and sprinkle with peanuts and sesame seeds. Add the wonton skins.

5) Get stuck in: gather family and friends around the table and let everyone toss the ingredients as high as possible with chopsticks, without it falling off the plate, while shouting your wishes for the New Year.

Catherine Jessup
Catherine joined GBTIMES in 2017 and covers Chinese culture, arts, travel and more. Based in London, UK, she also contributes to SINO Radio, part of the GBTIMES network, on China-UK projects and Chinese cultural events in London.